Skanda Purana — Nagara Khanda, Shloka 31

Devanagari script

इन्द्रियाणामथोद्धृत्य मनसैव निषेधयेत् । यथा लोहेन लोहं च घर्षितं तीक्ष्णतां व्रजेत्

Transliteration

indriyāṇāmathoddhṛtya manasaiva niṣedhayet | yathā lohena lohaṃ ca gharṣitaṃ tīkṣṇatāṃ vrajet

Translation

Having restrained the senses, one should check them by the mind alone—just as iron, when rubbed against iron, becomes sharpened.

Word by Word

• इन्द्रियाणाम्: of the senses
• इन्द्रियाणाम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इन्द्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, बहुवचन (neuter; genitive plural)

• अथ: then
• अथ: Sambandha (Discourse marker)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अथ (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अनुक्रम/आरम्भसूचक (indeclinable; then/now)

• उद्धृत्य: having withdrawn/raised up
• उद्धृत्य: Purvakala (Prior action/पूर्वकाल)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: उद्धृत्य (कृदन्त; उत्- + √हृ (धातु) + ल्यप्)
• Form: क्त्वान्त/ल्यपन्त अव्यय (gerund/absolutive)

• मनसा: by the mind
• मनसा: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मनस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter; instrumental singular)

• एव: indeed; only
• एव: Avadharana (Emphasis/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अवधारण (particle of emphasis)

• निषेधयेत्: should restrain/prohibit
• निषेधयेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-√सिध्/√षिध् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative; parasmaipada; 3rd person singular)

• यथा: just as
• यथा: Upamana (Comparison marker/उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमान/यथार्थबोधक (indeclinable; as/just as)

• लोहेन: with iron
• लोहेन: Karana (Instrument/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, एकवचन (neuter; instrumental singular)

• लोहम्: iron (another piece)
• लोहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लोह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (neuter; accusative singular)

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (Conjunctive/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• घर्षितम्: rubbed, ground
• घर्षितम्: Visheshana (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घर्षित (कृदन्त; √घर्ष् (धातु) + क्त)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (neuter; nominative/accusative singular; rubbed)

• तीक्ष्णताम्: sharpness
• तीक्ष्णताम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तीक्ष्णता (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन (feminine; accusative singular)

• व्रजेत्: would attain/go to
• व्रजेत्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √व्रज् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन (optative; parasmaipada; 3rd person singular)

Speaker

Skanda (deduced from Nāgarakhaṇḍa–Māhātmya didactic narration style)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sādhaka seated near a tīrtha, eyes lowered, with senses depicted as restless horses being reined in by the mind; beside him, two iron blades being rubbed, emitting a subtle gleam to symbolize sharpening through practice.

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Self-mastery is achieved by using the mind to restrain the senses, strengthening discipline through repeated practice.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

No site is mentioned; the verse teaches yogic method within a tīrtha-māhātmya chapter.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

A sādhanā instruction is given: withdraw and restrain the senses through mental control.